DLANC Advocates for Increased Safety at Metro Stations and Trains

DLANC submitted a letter to Metro demanding improvements in safety. Specifically, DLANC requested that Metro do each of the following to protect the public, increase safety, reduce liability, and improve ridership:

1. Station Presence: Assign full-time Metro personnel to each and every major light and heavy rail station and make their presence known at all hours of operation.

2. Safety: Increase law enforcement presence in stations and trains. In lines where cars are not interconnected to enable riders to move from one car to another, law enforcement should make rounds by visiting each train car by moving between cars at stations.

3. Mobile Reporting App: Metro should better publicize its Transit Watch app or create a more robust mobile application to enable riders to contact law enforcement, report crimes, report vandalism, request clean-ups, and report issues. Alternatively, Metro should consider consolidating its Go Metro app with the Transit Watch app, as it makes little sense to have two different applications where one would suffice.

4. Training: Train conductors on how to identify trouble riders and to interject by intercom where an incident appears to be escalating. If necessary, call for law enforcement.

5. Lighting: Pedestrian thoroughfares leading to Metro stations should be well lit.

7. Designate Safety Zones: In stations, designate a safety waiting zone that is actively monitored by video surveillance and has intercoms readily available within the spaces to call for help or report any suspicious activity. The waiting zones would act as safe havens for late night riders and deter would-be attackers. Zones similar to these have been installed in the Taipei Metro system.